


Phantom Faces on a Train

by prouvairethepoet



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, brief jehan/montparnasse mention, brief mention of addiction, this is my first fic i am so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-23 03:11:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2531909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prouvairethepoet/pseuds/prouvairethepoet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Train delays, old faces, and a chance to start again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phantom Faces on a Train

When an overly friendly voice comes on the loudspeaker and announces that Enjolras’ train back to Paris will be delayed, he huffs and pulls out his phone sending a quick text to Jehan as to why he will be a bit late to Courfeyrac’s surprise party. He makes himself comfortable on one of the wooden benches. The wind blows against his body and he shivers, not realizing it was this cold out, he had only worn a light jacket. Tugging his jacket a bit tighter around himself he pulls out A Tale of Two Cities, a required read for school and the course he’s taking, and begins to read. Enjolras doesn’t mind the book, though he is a bit bias he must say, since the French Revolution has always engrossed him. His mind winds through the tale and he finds himself quickly on chapter nine. Glancing at the time, he groans. It’s been twenty minutes since his train was supposed to have come. He was not going to be a bit, but very, late to his best friend of ten years’ party. Well, at least he is getting his reading done.

The time passes a bit more slowly and Enjolras is blissfully unaware of his surroundings, enraptured in the pages. So maybe it’s not his favorite story, he realized that about ten minutes ago, but it’s the only entertainment he has besides his phone When an overly friendly voice comes on the loudspeaker and announces that Enjolras’ train back to Paris will be delayed, he huffs and pulls out his phone sending a quick text to Jehan as to why he will be a bit late to Courfeyrac’s surprise party. Grantaire was among Enjolras’ circle of friends, one of Jehan’s close friends, and a bitter cynic. He didn’t speak to him much, only to disagree with something he says, or comment on the fact that all he does at their meetings is doodle, so what’s the point in showing up? To which Grantaire responded,” the free drinks of course,” with a lift of his wine. God, how Enjolras detests him at times. He hadn’t seen the man in five years, ever since the fight at their last protest, something about the rights of workers in a local factory. The fight ended a little more devastating than the others, resulting in Grantaire leaving and moving to who knows where, and the rest of them slowly breaking apart. The only friends Enjolras is still in contact with are Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Jehan and an occasional Marius, lord knows why. Courfeyrac and Jehan, on the other hand, remained in contact with everyone, and he assumed the whole gang would be bad at the party tonight. He was in no way prepared to see an old face right now, especially one he got into so many arguments with. Enjolras attempted to ignore him, but it was too late.

“Fancy seeing you here Apollo,” Grantaire says, sitting next to him on the bench. Enjolras also detests that nickname.

“Yes lovely, isn’t it” Enjolras says bitterly, and is he insane or does he see hurt in Grantaire’s eyes? Whatever it was, it’s gone when he responds.

“Tale of Two Cities, how lovely, even in school you can’t escape from your beloved France,” he says sarcastically.

“Listen, Grantaire, I’m not in the best mood, okay? So if you are going to be bothersome, there are many other places for you to sit.”

“I’ll stop, I guess. You know Ap-Enjolras? I think this may be the longest conversation we’ve ever had.”

Enjolras hums in surprise and reaches for his book, pulling it out of Grantaire’s hands.

“It is very rude to grab it like that,” Grantaire notes, with a smirk.

“Says the one who did it in the first place,” Enjolras remarks bitterly.

“Touché. Chill, Enjolras, you are so high-strung.”  


Enjolras looks over at that,” Excuse you?”  


“Well we are going to be here for a while, might as well have fun,” Grantaire says, leaning back on the bench.

“Oh and you sure are the epitome of having fun, but I hate to break it to you, there are not exactly any drinks around.”

This time Grantaire looks deeply hurt and Enjolras feels a pang of sympathy. He hadn’t seen the man in five years, who knows if he has changed? Enjolras did not even know him all too well five years ago, let alone now.

“Oh,” is all Grantaire can reply with and Enjolras reaches out his hand awkwardly.

“I did not mean it like that I’m sorry I didn’t-“

“For your information, Apollo,” Grantaire cutting him off says,” I’ve been sober for two years now. Some things caused me to change. Not ones I would like to mention right now, I see that look, just, some really shitty ones, okay?

 

Enjolras begins to speak, but is interrupted by the obstinate ringing of his damn phone. _Jehan_. He sent off a rapid text instead, informing him of the current situation and pocketed his phone.

“That’s good, that you are sober I mean, I know how hard fighting addictions can be I mean my mother was a secret addict and –“Enjolras rambled.

“I never knew that. We do not know many things about each other, do we? How about we try to start over, you and I?”

Enjolras could hear the train approaching and his pounding heartbeat. He never knew Grantaire’s eyes were that green, and they stood out against his darker skin. Grantaire smiled warily at Enjolras, and Enjolras had never seen anything more oddly beautiful. A chance to start over sounded great. Maybe he wouldn’t hate him if he got to knew him, Grantaire is Jehan’s best friend for a reason. But hell, Jehan is dating Montparnasse so maybe he shouldn’t trust their judgment. Enjolras looked up and the hand was gone and Grantaire was instead biting his lip. Damn, he probably thought this was Enjolras’ kind decline of his offer.

“No ah, that sounds- that sounds great. I would love that,” he says maybe a bit too enthusiastically.

Grantaire breaks into a now brilliant smile, eyes sparkling,” You can call me R by the way, it’s what Jehan and Eponine call me. And the rest of them too.” “ I didn’t know you were into puns!”

“Well, I figured it was pretty funny.”

The silence was awkward until the train pulled up, doors opening. A chirpy message about politeness played over the intercom and Grantaire and held out his hand.

“Shall we?”

“We shall.”

The doors close behind the two, heads bent close and voices low. The train began to pull away to Paris as Rouen was left behind.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fiction piece in this fandom. I do not really have a beta but maybe I'll find someone soon. Written in a brief spark of imagination, while I am home from school. This could go on to be a series, maybe.  
> Find me on tumblr - lesspookyrables . Feel free to drop an ask!


End file.
